Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en papillote is a French cooking technique that involves baking fish inside a folded pouch, typically made from parchment paper. When baked in the oven, the steam perfectly cooks the fish, resulting in a flavorful and moist dish. This is a healthy, easy, and refreshing spin on baked fish. The fresh herbs and lemon make this meal so satisfying. You probably won’t want to bake your fish any other way after using this method!

What is salmon en papillote?

“Salmon en papillote” is a French cooking technique that involves baking fish inside a folded pouch, typically made from parchment paper. Then the fish is seasoned and placed on parchment paper along with vegetables, lemon, and herbs. The edges of the paper are then folded and sealed to create a tight pouch, trapping the steam that is generated during cooking. Alternatively, you can tie each end using kitchen twine, which I personally like to do!

This is an effective form of cooking that will always result in a moist and flavorful fish because the steam cooks it to perfection. The parchment paper pouch also helps to infuse the fish with the flavors inside from the herbs and lemon. This keeps it from drying out and losing any flavor.

What fish do I use?

Salmon is usually a popular fish that is used for this style of cooking, but any fish can be used. I always recommend wild caught for health and sustainability reasons. For this recipe, I used wild-caught sockeye salmon.

Can I add different veggies & herbs?

Of course! That is the beauty of salmon en papillote. You can do any variation that you desire. I chose the paring of zucchini with dill, tarragon, and lemon but feel free to add or take out anything as you see fit. Additionally, if you don’t want to top the salmon with butter, you can use olive oil. You will probably find that after you make this dish, you will make many variations of it in the future. It is so simple to make and the result is visually impressive and so tasty!

How to make salmon en papillote

Ingredients & Equipment

• 4 4oz wild-caught sockeye salmon fillets
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (cut into 4 pieces)
• 1/2 a lemon thinly sliced
• fresh herbs (tarragon & dill)
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• parchment paper
• baking pan or dish
• kitchen twine (if using)

How to assemble

1. To begin, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and set out the ingredients.
2. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper (square or oval shaped) approximately 15×10 inches.
3. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
4. Layer a few slices of zucchini on a piece of parchment paper, then place a lemon slice on top and a few herbs.

5. Then, place the salmon fillet (skin side down) on top of the herbs and top it with a slice of butter and more herbs.

6. Lastly, fold the parchment paper over the salmon, wrapping it almost like a present and tie each end with the kitchen twine.

Note: If you are not using kitchen twine, simply fold the top part of the parchment paper over to the other side and seal the ends together by folding them into each other all along the edges. The key is to close up the parchment pouch as much as possible to create a perfect steaming environment.

7. Repeat the above steps for each salmon fillet and place them into a baking pan or dish.

How to bake Salmon En Papillote

• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on how thick your fillets are. They will continue to bake for a bit once they are pulled out of the oven as well.
• Once complete, open it carefully and enjoy!